


Bilbo's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

by what_am_i_even_doing_tho



Series: An Unexpected Meeting [1]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bilbo Baggins is a gay disaster, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Pre-Relationship, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:02:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25485136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/what_am_i_even_doing_tho/pseuds/what_am_i_even_doing_tho
Summary: Bilbo has a bad day, but upon meeting a very handsome stranger, it suddenly isn’t so bad anymore.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield
Series: An Unexpected Meeting [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1846132
Comments: 3
Kudos: 97





	Bilbo's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Militia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Militia/gifts).



> I have never written anything with a modern setting before, so forgive me if it's a bit awkward. The parts for this series will likely be of varying lengths, and I’ll write more as ideas and inspiration come, meaning there won't really be a regular posting schedule. I have no idea how long this’ll end up being, but I have already written a large chunk of part two, and I have the entire plot for part three planned out. I also have a few ideas jotted down for future parts.
> 
> I want to make it clear that I am not abandoning my other projects; I do plan to revisit those. Right now, I am hard-pressed for motivation and inspiration, and I was honestly shocked at how much fun I'm having writing this. It’s not often that I get this excited about an idea, so I’m taking advantage of it and enjoying it while I can.
> 
> Gifting this to you, Lish, because yeah, maybe The Hobbit and LotR aren't hugely your thing, but fuck, you helped me out so much with ideas, and I am eternally grateful. I shall be singing your praises from the rooftop for the next eternity or so. I am also grateful for you putting up with my non-stop gushing about this damn idea. You're an absolute godsend, a saint, and I love you.

Lugging several heavy grocery bags laden with food, Bilbo carefully trudged up the stairs. His feet ached, his back was sore, and his mood was so foul that he imagined there was a little storm cloud floating above his head. Today’s shopping trip had lasted much longer than originally planned, and it seemed as if everything that could go wrong, had gone wrong. First, he couldn’t find a decent parking space and ended up having to park across the street, meaning he had to cross the road in the middle of the day with traffic at its most busy. Then, his favorite brand of jam had been out of stock, and he had to settle for a mediocre, and admittedly much cheaper, substitute. Things only got worse from there.

Around every corner there were fussy infants, bickering couples, and people standing in his way and rudely ignoring him, and Bilbo felt ready to pull his hair out by the time he got to the checkout line. The self-checkout had been closed, and while he would’ve normally been looking forward to talking with whatever cashier would be helping him today, he was no longer in the mood for idle conversation. After waiting for nearly fifteen minutes in the despairingly long line and politely nodding at the chatty cashier, it had been time for him to cross the street again, this time with an armful of groceries. 

The drive home was no less eventful. He was so worn out from just that one little shopping trip that he almost didn’t notice the light changing colors, and he had to slam on the breaks, nearly causing an accident. Bilbo supposed he deserved it when the car behind him laid on the horn, but that didn’t mean it was very appreciated. Still rattled from that experience, he had forgotten to take a turn that would’ve let him avoid the roadwork being done on his usual route home, adding another ten minutes to the drive. Bilbo did his best to avoid the potholes that had yet to be filled, but he had been unable to avoid a few of them. Each time he drove through one, his groceries bounced around in the backseat, inevitably spilling all over the floor. 

At last, after much grief, Bilbo finally pulled into the parking lot of his apartment building. Only to have to slam on the brakes yet again when a minivan backed out of a spot at a speed much higher than considered safe. A string of curses that would have had him blushing had this been an ordinary day left his mouth, and he resisted the urge to bang his forehead against the steering wheel. Shoulders hunched and face set in a scowl, Bilbo pulled into his spot and sat back in his seat, a world-weary sigh escaping him. Slowly, he got out of his car and went to the back to put all his groceries back in their bags before making his way inside the building.

So here he was, struggling up the stairs because the elevator had broken, feeling for all the world like he had just come back from a trip to hell. Bilbo couldn’t wait to get back home, make some of his favorite tea, and settle into his armchair with a good book. And then maybe work on his own; he needed to get to writing if he had any hopes of scraping together enough money for bills this month. Although, he doubted he would be able to get anything done considering how sour his mood was. Writing was the last thing Bilbo wanted to do right now, if he was being honest with himself, but a man has to make a living somehow.

Bilbo was pulled from his thoughts when, without warning, someone brushed past him with enough force to send him and his groceries tumbling down the stairs. He reached the landing in a heap, and he wondered distantly if his apples were as bruised as he was. The sound of someone rushing down the stairs greeted his ears, and Bilbo realized the person who had knocked him down was approaching, probably to laugh at him knowing his luck. Cheeks flushed with anger, and no small amount of embarrassment, he looked up from his position on the floor, ready to berate the stranger for being so rude. His words stuck in his throat, however, when he caught sight of the culprit.

Towering before him was the most handsome man Bilbo had ever seen, and he’d seen some fine gentlemen in his days. His eyes slowly traveled up, taking in the hiking boots, snug blue jeans, worn leather jacket, and the flannel with one too many buttons undone to be considered proper, allowing just a hint of a black shirt to peek through. The stranger’s wavy, shoulder-length hair was a lovely chestnut color, and a short, well-kempt beard made him look the very picture of rugged. Thick, dark brows were furrowed over stormy blue eyes that shone with concern, and Bilbo got lost in them for a moment before he realized that not only was he staring, but he was also being spoken to by the very attractive, lumberjack-esque man in front of him.

“I’m so sorry, are you alright?” The stranger asked, and oh, his voice was attractive too. His tone was soft, and yet Bilbo still felt the words rumble somewhere deep in his chest. It was soothing and exciting all at once, and he should probably stop thinking about it now and answer the question before he made an even bigger fool of himself.

“I-I’m fine.” Bilbo winced and felt his cheeks redden further as his own voice betrayed him with a squeak. He needed to get it together, dang it; surely, he’d suffered enough humiliation for one day. The stranger smiled gently before reaching a large hand down, and Bilbo felt his heart flutter. Remembering that he was still in an unseemly pile on the ground, but unable to bring himself to care just now, he placed his much smaller hand in the offered one and allowed the stranger to help him to his feet.

While immediately bending down to start picking up the fallen food, and wow, wasn’t that a sight all on its own, the stranger apologized again, “I really am sorry about that. I hope you’re not too badly injured. That was quite a nasty tumble; I’m sure you’re a little bruised.”

Bilbo’s mind stalled for a moment, not expecting such kindness but finding it greatly appreciated after the horrible day he’d had so far. Once he had his wits about him again, he spoke in a thankfully level tone.

“Not as bruised as my ego,” Bilbo joked amicably, cheeks still rather flushed. The stranger huffed a quiet chuckle, and there was that pesky fluttering again. He reached for the armload of groceries as soon as the stranger straightened up, fully prepared to take them and end this delightful interaction, but he was surprised when the other man shook his head.

“I can carry them. It’s the least I can do after what happened.” A sheepish grin now adorned the other’s face, and Bilbo was starting to wonder if he should go get checked out by a cardiologist about this sudden heart problem; it was really quite concerning. Unable to formulate a response, Bilbo just nodded curtly and started up the stairs, the attractive stranger close behind him. There was no conversation between them as they climbed, the only sound the soft thump of the stranger’s boots and the rustling of the grocery bags, and yet the silence was comfortable, not at all awkward. It wasn’t often that Bilbo felt this relaxed around new people, and he wondered what it could mean.

Before he knew it, they had arrived at his door, and Bilbo awkwardly shuffled his feet. He realized that the stranger would have to come inside to put the groceries down, and he desperately hoped that he hadn’t left too much of a mess inside. While a neat person by nature, he tended to let the cleanliness of his surroundings slide while working on a book, too focused on the world he was creating to bother with tidying up. Worrying his lower lip, Bilbo pulled his keys from his jacket pocket and opened the door to his apartment.

Stepping in and turning the light on, he looked over his shoulder at the stranger while pointing off to the left, “You can just put those down on that table over there. Thank you for the help.” The stranger did as he was told, and surprised Bilbo yet again when he opened the bags and started taking the food out.

“Oh no, you don’t have to do that,” Bilbo assured, rushing over and placing a hand on his arm to stop his movements. He swallowed thickly when he felt well-defined muscle, obvious even through all the layers. “I can put those away, you needn’t worry.”

A calloused hand gently took Bilbo’s own and lifted it away, and he could’ve sworn his heart stopped, “It’s no bother, really. I want to. Consider this the rest of my apology.”

Their hands still touching, and his brain short-circuiting, Bilbo just nodded dumbly. The second the stranger moved away to put the jam in the fridge, a wheezing breath whooshed out of his lungs, and he suddenly felt a little faint. Carefully, so as to not fall over again, Bilbo ambled over to the coat rack to hang up his jacket and dragged a hand over his face. Feeling his forehead conspicuously, he wondered if he was coming down with something, what with the lightheadedness and the strange feeling in his chest. He hadn’t felt unwell this morning, but perhaps his shopping trip took more out of him than he thought. Regardless, a good cup of tea would surely fix him right up.

After filling up the kettle and placing it on the stove, Bilbo suddenly remembered his manners, “Would you like a cup, as well?”

The stranger’s movements halted, and he glanced over at Bilbo with a fierce intensity. He felt himself blush under the scrutiny and hoped he hadn’t said or done something to insult this very polite, very handsome stranger. Yes, he had knocked him down the stairs, but he then he had apologized and picked up his groceries, and he was even putting them away now; Bilbo only wanted to repay this kindness. After a few more seconds of silence, this time very awkward, the stranger shook himself lightly before nodding, a bright smile lighting up his face. Bilbo fought the urge to clutch at his chest, where his heart seemed to be trying to escape his ribcage, and he turned back to the stove to turn it on.

Behind him, he could hear the stranger opening and closing cabinets, and he realized that if they were going to have tea together, they should probably exchange names. It wouldn’t do for him to keep referring to the other man as “the stranger” in his mind. He turned around again, question on his tongue, but instead of words, a small squeak escaped him when he saw the stranger reaching up to put something away, revealing a thin strip of skin where his shirt and jacket had ridden up. Distantly Bilbo realized his mouth had fallen open, but he found that he really didn’t care about how silly it made him look.

That is, until the stranger looked over at him with a smile, and Bilbo’s jaw clicked shut instantly. He did his best to hide his wince, and he smiled back pleasantly. The kettle behind him started to whistle, and thankful for the excuse to not just stare at the handsome man in his apartment, he quickly turned the stove off and brought the kettle to his table, depositing a teabag into it. He turned to retrieve two mugs from his cabinet but was surprised for a third time when he saw the stranger already placing them down. Bilbo never was one for surprises, liking things to always go according to plan, and yet he rather enjoyed being surprised by this stranger. Even though it made him absolutely flustered.

Gesturing to one of the chairs and studiously ignoring his seemingly ever-present blush, Bilbo invited the stranger to his table, “Please, sit down. Make yourself comfortable, Mr-” And just like that, he recalled that he had never asked for the handsome stranger’s name. Voice trailing off and feeling the tips of his ears burn, he looked down at his feet and inspected the carpeted floor as if it had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the world.

“Oakenshield,” The stranger responded, startling him out of his misery. “But there’s no need for formalities. You can just call me Thorin.”

Bilbo looked up, and his heart quivered when he saw the dazzling smile on the stranger’s—no, Thorin’s—face. He couldn’t have resisted smiling back even if he wanted to, which he most certainly did not. Upon seeing Bilbo’s answering grin, Thorin’s own grew even wider, eyes twinkling with joy, before pulling out a chair and sitting down. Bilbo clumsily sank into the chair across from him, and with hands that were not at all shaky, thank you very much, he poured the tea. Wrapping his hands around his mug, he brought it close to his face and breathed in the calming scent of his favorite blend, mint and chamomile.

Bilbo was about to take a sip when Thorin spoke up, a sly smile on his face, “Do I get to know your name, or will I have to snoop around your mail to find out?” Color rushed into his cheeks, and he once again wondered if this was some bug he had caught; people who blush this often can’t be healthy, right? Oh, and if his mother were here right now, she would’ve ruthlessly chastised him for such rude behavior toward his very attractive guest.

“Good gracious me,” He stuttered, quickly holding out a hand. “Where are my manners? Bilbo Baggins, at your service.” Thorin’s calloused hand clasped his and gave it a hearty shake, and Bilbo tried not to let his sudden lack of breath show.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Bilbo.” Thorin’s charming smile did nothing to calm his racing heart, nor did the utterly divine way his name sounded when spoken by Thorin do anything to ease the giddy tightness in his chest. He should really go see a doctor and make sure he’s not dying; it would be a shame after meeting such a wonderful, handsome fellow.

“The pleasure’s all mine, Thorin.” Somewhat remorsefully, Bilbo released Thorin’s hand and sipped at his tea in attempt to hide the elated feeling flowing through him. Conversation was struck up between them, and he contently chatted away the afternoon, finding pleasure in talking to his unfairly attractive guest. Today had been downright awful, one of the worst days Bilbo had ever had, but he realized with a small smile that, oddly enough, it wasn’t so bad anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
